Be curious and skeptical

Newsletter Issue 6

AI is a polarizing topic. In an industry that has a reputation for being slow to embrace technology, the divide between lawyers who are eager to adopt AI and lawyers who want nothing to do with AI may be especially wide.

Hopefully at this point we can all agree that AI isn’t going anywhere. Learning about AI is something that all lawyers will need to do to remain competent and competitive.

For many lawyers, learning about AI will require a mindset shift.

I encourage you to approach learning about AI with this mindset:

Be curious AND skeptical.

Why Lawyers Need to Be Curious

Skeptical lawyers who want nothing to do with AI should consider balancing their skepticism with some curiosity. Adopting a mindset of curiosity does not require you to become an AI enthusiast. It does not even require you to set aside your fears or objections. (And as explained below, skepticism is an important part of a lawyer’s mindset about AI.) Curiosity just requires you to open yourself up enough to learn. And learning more about AI will give you an opportunity to further evaluate your fears and objections through the lens of additional information.

Learning more about AI may not ultimately move the needle on how you feel about it. But given the realities of how AI is changing the legal industry, ignoring AI forever is not a practical plan. And if you develop AI competency, at least you’ll know how to satisfy your professional responsibilities in relation to AI. You’ll also be better prepared when a client asks you about whether you use AI or needs help with an AI-related legal issue.

Why Lawyers Need to Be Skeptical

On the flip side, lawyers who are eager to embrace AI should consider balancing their enthusiasm with some skepticism. The lawyers who have made headlines for filing briefs riddled with AI hallucinations could have used a bit more skepticism in their approach to AI. It’s also important to recognize that there is currently little empirical evidence about the performance of AI tools. Lawyers would be well served by adopting a questioning attitude in relation to the quality, accuracy, efficacy, and potential risks of any AI tool they consider.

Rather than jumping in and experimenting with an AI tool for legal purposes, lawyers should first develop their AI competency so they understand their professional responsibilities in relation to AI and the pitfalls to avoid. Before adopting an AI tool, lawyers should plan to take time to analyze where AI could make the most impact in their organization, evaluate the risks associated with any AI tools they consider, and test the tools before selecting one or more for their practice.  

A Roadmap to AI Competency

If you haven’t done so already, you’re welcome to download my free resource, Roadmap to AI Competency for Lawyers. The roadmap lays out six actionable steps you can take as you work to develop your AI competency.

If this newsletter resonated with you, please consider sharing it with a friend or colleague.

Thanks for being here,

Jennifer
Good Journey Consulting